Example of a country patio design in Chicago

Louie Heredia
Elegant patio photo in Los Angeles

This project included a Patio Cover Addition, Outdoor Kitchen, Gas-Burning Fireplace, and Stamped Concrete walking surface with a custom pattern. The attention is immediately drawn to the Ledgestone fire place with a rustic cedar mantel. The Ledgestone flows continuously throughout the space, found on the base of the patio columns and outdoor kitchen. The kitchen sparkles with Stainless Steel appliances, containing storage compartments, refrigerator, and grill. Topped with Venetian Gold Granite, this cooking space provides ample counter space that is easily maintained. The overall appeal of this Outdoor Living area remains beautifully traditional, with cedar-trimmed columns and beams. Also, though it has custom features, this addition is built to look original to the home with matching paint, shingles, gutters, and framing materials. The elaborate, pre-stained Tongue and Groove ceiling is quite an attractive feature to this patio cover, and the recessed lighting illuminates the evening. The fans provide adequate air-flow and the sound system keeps the patio atmosphere in tune.

Old world Spanish Villa with deep, thick plaster walls and groin vaults. Arches are plentiful, along with views of the Thousand Oaks and Westlake valley. This comfortable home is designed for a wonderful, fun family with two children. The place of many gatherings of friends and family, it radiates a warmth and love of good times with great friends. Deep rich blues, aqua and terra cotta colors throughout this home, with travertine versaille patterned floors. Deep loggia and patios all around the home take advantage of all the mountain and valley views, while keeping the family and friends warm in cooler times. The entire sprawling villa is wrapped around an inside patio with a fountain and hand made Malibu Tile pots. All furniture is hand made, from distressed and rustic tables to custom upholstery in jewel tones. A built in bar for entertaining in the great room, a very large family room with deep blue fabric wrap around sofa, hand knotted rugs in the living room, master bedroom and family room. A master suite with light creamy white walls, a plaster fireplace and a metal poster bed looks through a sitting room with turquoise accents. The home has 6 fireplaces, of which three are outside, some carved in limestone, others in spanish plaster. Designed by Maraya Interior Design. From their beautiful resort town of Ojai, they serve clients in Montecito, Hope Ranch, Malibu, Westlake and Calabasas, across the tri-county areas of Santa Barbara, Ventura and Los Angeles, south to Hidden Hills- north through Solvang and more. Patrick Price photography Spanish style home outdoor dining loggia with wrought iron lighting and a rustic table.

Patio - traditional patio idea in Miami

Morning photo of the landscape lights at work.
Patio - mid-sized traditional backyard concrete paver patio idea in Columbus with a fire pit

Example of a classic patio design in New York

Elegant patio photo in DC Metro

New planting beds, including a hedge of Blizzard mockorange, were added around the patio, screening guests while seated yet not restricting views out to the rest of the park-like landscape from the home.

Malibu Glass Box House by Klopf Architecture Following the devastating Woolsey Fire of 2018, the site in Malibu offered a unique opportunity to rebuild not just a home, but a new architectural composition that highlighted the property’s potential while navigating strict fire-rebuild codes in the area. Designed by Klopf Architecture, this project embraced a set of limitations and translated them into an architectural asset. The city’s fire-rebuild process required the new structure to remain close to the original footprint, size and bulk, a constraint that ultimately clarified the architectural direction. Perched near the front of a long, narrow lot, the new home frames and overlooks a private, park-like rear expanse, an uncommon luxury especially in this part of Malibu . Without a fixed program, the design process allowed for a different kind of creative focus allowing Klopf Architecture the opportunity to explore how a modernist home could best respond to this site. The team approached the project not with a list of requirements, but with a question: How might a modernist live here? What spatial qualities would inspire calm, connection, and a sense of wonder in this setting? The process became less about problem-solving and more about architectural storytelling—letting the site, the light, and the principles of modern design guide the form and flow of the home. The response emerged in the form of a glass-box pavilion, an open, Mid-Century Modern inspired living, dining, and kitchen space that floats at the edge of the property’s natural descent. Connected to the more enclosed, private areas of the home by a glass-walled hallway, the living pavilion becomes a distinct centerpiece of the design. It opens on all four sides to the landscape with decks and patios on the flanks, an internal garden and water feature to the north, and a dramatic unguarded view of the expansive backyard and ocean horizon to the south. Because of the mandated footprint, careful planning was required to ensure every space could still engage with light, landscape, or both. Strategic voids in the form of atriums and courtyards allow daylight to filter deep into the home’s core, while offering moments of surprise and retreat. These design gestures allow natural light to filter deep into the interior, creating a sense of brightness and openness throughout the day. At the same time, they expand the perceptual boundaries between inside and out, making the home feel more expansive while anchoring its connection to the surrounding landscape. The siting of the house is what gives it its unique character. Rather than receding into the backyard like the neighboring homes, the house holds a slight prominence. From the central living pavilion, stepping down into the landscape feels more like entering a secluded park where a separate existing accessory structure, trail, and recreational areas await. The home’s modest street presence gives way to this unfolding drama of space, view, and nature. Fire-resilient materials and assemblies are integrated seamlessly throughout including triple-pane glazing, under-slab and roof insulation, and locally sourced fire-rated cladding ensure the house not only meets Calfornia’s rigorous wildland-urban interface (WUI) standards, but feels effortlessly aligned with them. While technical decisions like fire-hardening and mechanical systems presented some construction challenges, particularly around the cantilevered glass box, the team found a functional compromise that preserved the integrity of the design. Inside, a restrained palette and exposed post and beam design celebrate the ethos of mid-century modernism. A central circulation spine extends from the entry to the rear glass wall, offering a continuous visual link from street to ocean. Spaces such as the library and office, though more intimate in scale, are never cut off from nature as each opens to its own unique courtyard or garden view. Though born out of a strict regulatory framework and developed without a specific client, the rebuild design unfolded with remarkable clarity. Grounded in site logic, refined by limitations and an emphasis on timeless spatial relationships – light, proportion, and a strong connection to nature, the resulting design feels both effortless and uplifting. The home lives lightly on the land, opens generously to its surroundings, and strikes a careful balance between privacy, openness, and calm. For Klopf Architecture, it stands as a compelling case study in how site, code, and circumstantial constraints can inspire enduring, modernist architecture. With years of experience reimagining mid-century modern design for how people live today, the firm took the project’s limitations as an opportunity. The result is a home shaped by open, flowing spaces, strong indoor-outdoor connections, and a calm, clear sense of structure. It’s a good reminder that even with strict constraints, there’s still room for architecture to breathe—and for modernism to keep moving forward. Klopf Architecture project team: Geoff Campen, John Klopf, AIA, and Sherry Tan Structural Engineer: ZFA Contractor: Maison D’Artiste Photography: ©2025 Mariko Reed Year Completed: 2023

Inspiration for a rustic backyard stone patio remodel in Orange County with a fire pit and a roof extension

Patio - traditional backyard patio idea in Chicago

Maryland Landscaping, Twilight, Pool, Pavillion, Pergola, Spa, Whirlpool, Outdoor Kitchen, Front steps by Wheats Landscaping
Huge transitional backyard concrete paver patio photo in DC Metro with a pergola and a bbq area

Transitional patio photo in New York

Mountain style patio photo in Nashville

Example of a mid-sized classic backyard stone patio design in Philadelphia with a fire pit and no cover

The Book Club uses a variety of materials and creatively utilizes space to transform a small backyard into an urban oasis. A low concrete wall forms a lounge space with a cantilevered IPE bench and fire pit. Large-format concrete pavers connect the lounge area to a dining and BBQ space, protected from the elements by an overhead louvered roof. The use of synthetic turf, along with native and adapted plant materials, makes this space the low-maintenance, private getaway our client was seeking.

The patio features cooking, dining, and living areas extending the great room outside / Builder - Platinum Custom Homes / Photo by ©Thompson Photographic.com 2018 / Tate Studio Architects

Inspiration for a cottage concrete patio remodel in Seattle with a roof extension